More Filipinos held jobs in 2011 than in 2010, but many of them wanted a different jobs or more hours so they could earn more, the National Statistics Office (NSO) said in a report.
While the unemployment rate fell slightly to 7 percent in 2011 from 7.3 percent in 2010, the underemployment rate rose to 19.3 percent from 18.8 percent, the NSO said.
“Many feel that the quality and type of their job do not allow them to earn more. Hence, the underemployment rate could reflect the lack of quality jobs that would suit the needs of those in the workforce,” said economist Cid L. Terosa of the University of Asia and the Pacific.
Terosa said in a text message that it was possible that quality jobs were available but applicants were not good enough for them.
“These applicants therefore end up with jobs that offer less hours of work and lower compensation,” he said.
Benjamin E. Diokno of the UP School of Economics said in a text message, “Basically, there was no significant improvement in the labor market since last year.”
A number of government and private employers have told the INQUIRER that they either it’s hard for find good applicants or could not afford the compensation level that some of the suitable ones wanted.
Other companies with long recruitment processes have also missed out on some new hires because their desired candidates accepted other offers.
About 2.8 million Filipinos were unemployed in 2011, some 100,000 fewer than the number the year before, according to NSO.
Among the unemployed, 63 percent were males. Forty-five percent of the jobless has reached high schools; 42 percent had college education; and 12.6 percent had elementary education.
The number of underemployed last year was estimated at 7.2 million. The underemployed are those who want to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have an additional job, or even to get a new job with longer working hours.
Of the underemployed, 59 percent were reported as visibly underemployed or those working less than 40 hours during the reference week. Those working 40 hours or more accounted for 39.4 percent of the underemployed.
In terms of labor force participation, some 40 million of the 61.9 million 15 years old and over were “economically active,” a participation rate of 64.6 percent, the NSO said. In 2010, the labor force participation was at 64.1 percent.
The labor force participation rate shows how many “working-age” Filipinos are willing and able to work and are either employed of actively seeking jobs.
Those who are not looking for work, those who are institutionalized (in prison or in hospital) and those serving in the military are excluded when measuring the participation rate.
Among the employed, 52.2 percent were in the services sector, 33 percent were in agriculture and 14.9 percent were in the industry sector.
Of those in the services sector, the largest group consisted of workers in the wholesale and retail, repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods. The made up 20 percent of the total employed population.
Among occupation groups, laborers and unskilled workers comprised the largest group (32.6 percent). This group was followed by farmers, forestry workers and fishermen (15.4 percent); officials of the government and special interest organizations, corporate executives, managers, managing proprietors and supervisors (14 percent); and service workers and shop and market-sales workers (11.1 percent).
The majority of the employed were wage and salary workers (55.2 percent). Most of them worked in private establishments (41.5 percent of the total employed).

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer - February 3, 2012